Is Apex Legends Shutting Down in 2023?

Apex players have expressed concerns over the future of the main game.
Apex players have expressed concerns over the future of the main game. / Respawn Entertainment

With the shock announcement that Respawn would be ending service for Apex Legends Mobile, many fans called into question the future of Apex Legends.

On Jan. 31, Respawn announced via Twitter that they would be sunsetting Apex Legends Mobile. The game's service will cease on May 1, 2023, less than a year after it launched. In a statement, the studio said, "Following a strong start, the content pipeline for Apex Legends Mobile has begun to fall short of that bar for quality, quantity, and cadence,"

"It is for this reason, after months of working with our development partner, that we have made the mutual decision to sunset our mobile game."

The mobile game launched on May 17, 2022 and featured two new exclusive Legends, Fade and Rhapsody, alongside a selection of pre-existing ones. Fans have since wondered what will become of both Fade and Rhapsody, and whether they'll be brought over to the main game.

But there's a lingering question on the minds of fans: what does this change mean for the development of Apex Legends?

Will Apex Legends Shut Down in 2023?

As part of their recent announcement, Respawn posted a blog listing the changes in more detail. The blog included a few FAQs, one of which asked: "What does this mean for Apex Legends on other platforms?"

The answer was somewhat encouraging for fans, though still slightly vague. "This decision for Apex Legends Mobile is platform-specific, and is independent of the game on PC and Consoles."

The answer continued, "As a franchise, Apex Legends is strong and we’re looking forward to sharing exciting updates in the future."

So it seems Respawn still have plans for Apex Legends, and are continuing to support the main game. At the time of writing, the studio has yet to announce their plans for mobile-only Legends, Fade and Rhapsody, but their addition would likely go a long way in reassuring fans that Apex is here to stay for a little while longer